Education Commons^™

Supports And Services To Improve Academic Success Of High School Student Athletes, Samuel G. Nichols

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether supports and services offered in various study hall programs (Traditional, Objective Based, and/or Objective Based +) at the high school level to help student athletes be academically successful in terms of achieving a minimum GPA of 2.0 or above. Basketball programs were used for this study because it is a major sport in the school district in which the data were collected. Data were sought via questionnaires of chosen participants via convenience sampling from eight eligible high school athletic directors in one school district in Georgia. This study called for the …

Dental Students’ Perception Of Their Educational Environment In Relation To Their Satisfaction With Dentistry Major: A Cross‑Sectional Study, Yoon Min Gil, Ji Soo Hong, Ju Ly Ban, Jae‑Sung Kwon, Jae‑Il Lee

Publications and Research

Background: Students’ perception of their educational environment and satisfaction with their major can reveal the extent of their readiness to practice their profession after graduation. This study aimed to evaluate dental students’ perception of their educational environment and satisfaction with their major in dentistry, as well as the relationship between these two factors.

Methods: An online survey was conducted in 2022 among first- to fourth-year students across 11 dental schools in Korea. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) and Academic Major Satisfaction Scale (AMSS) were used to measure the students’ perception of the educational environment and satisfaction with their …

The Effect Of Exceptionality Label On School Psychologists During The Evaluation Process, Rachel Jacob

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

School psychologists often lead the evaluation process that is responsible for identifying students with an education-based disability. They are also responsible for providing recommendations for the student following the evaluation. The current study is focusing on the variable of exceptionality label as it is a universally present variable that has the potential to affect all evaluations. Two recent studies have examined and found labeling bias on preservice educators (Allday et al., 2011; Fisher et al., 2022). This study sought to expand this research by looking at labeling bias in school psychologists. The study measured the effect of exceptionality label on …

An Examination Of Factors Impacting Home-School Collaboration In Head Start Populations, Madison Mei-Mei Yee

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Two essential pillars in a preschool-age student’s life include their caregiver and their teacher. In turn, it is unsurprising that a more cohesive relationship between these two figures can promote better wellbeing, academic skills, and overall developmental growth in young children. Unfortunately, a multitude of barriers impede home-school collaboration, such as socioeconomic status, non-English speaking households, and caregiver mental health, just to name a few. Head Start, a federally funded preschool program, targets underserved populations who often relate to these named barriers. Head Start works out of the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework, a framework specifically geared toward …

Perceived Multicultural Self-Efficacy As A Predictor Of Competency In Social Justice Advocacy Among U.S. School Counselors, Damon D. Chambers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School counselors who engage in advocacy work may experience barriers when attempting to challenge oppression; hence, they need specific skills to advocate efficiently and effectively. Despite the trend in conceptual articles surrounding school counselor advocacy, little is known about how school counselors’ multicultural self-efficacy predicts school counselors’ social justice advocacy practices. This study addressed this gap in the literature by exploring factors related to school counselor social justice advocacy; that is, multicultural self-efficacy. Multicultural self-efficacy and advocacy competence have had an integral role in fostering school counselors’ abilities to identify and support the needs of diverse student populations within the …

How Elementary School Principals Manage Their Workload, Cynthia Ann Mccabe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary school principals in a suburban, Mid-Atlantic public school system may face challenges when balancing their workload. This problem is significant as an elementary school principal’s workload could contribute to ineffective leadership. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how these principals balance their workload and obtain their perceptions of the administrative support required to meet the daily challenges of their job. The conceptual framework is Gronn’s distributed leadership model which is based on the purposeful sharing and disseminating of leadership responsibilities. The research questions explored how elementary school principals describe the challenges they have in balancing …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Social Emotional Learning Instruction And High Residential Mobility Students’ Reading Literacy, Janel Dorene Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Based on recommendations from research, leaders in a north Texas public school district implemented social emotional learning (SEL) to address academic gaps among high residential mobility (HRM) students. Incorporating SEL instruction improves academic achievement 11 percentile points on average; however, in Adoniram School District (ASD), 2021 passing rates fell 8% from 2019 despite adopting SEL curriculum. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how ASD elementary teachers instructed SEL, and their perceptions of how SEL techniques influenced HRM elementary students’ reading literacy development. The study on social and emotional skills (SSES) conceptual framework guided this study because …

Experiences Of African American Students In A Stem-Focused Community Program, Angela Blount

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has invested millions of dollars in STEM program initiatives; however, African Americans in STEM career fields are underrepresented. The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study aimed to explore the lived experiences of African-American first-year college students from rural communities in a STEM program and whether their experiences influenced their decision to pursue a STEM major in college. Spencer’s phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST) was used to frame the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with eight African American first-year college students from rural communities. Coding analysis involved identifying meaning units and situated narratives …

Training Strategies To Improve Salesperson Confidence And Production, William B. Bronson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many sales leaders need strategies to improve the productivity and confidence of their sales personnel. Ineffective sales training programs cost organizations billions of dollars in annual revenue and profits. Grounded in adaptive leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative mini-ethnographic multiple-case study was to explore successful strategies used by sales leaders that combine and balance virtual and online resources with traditional face-to-face training methods to increase the productivity and confidence of sales personnel. Data were collected by interviewing eight salespeople and two sales managers spanning two Texas insurance companies and reviewing company documents. Data were analyzed using Yin’s five-step process …

Middle And High School Administrators’ Perceptions Of Retention Factors At Title I Campuses, Creseda Hawk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPrincipal turnover has a negative influence on the stability of a school’s culture and climate and on student achievement. Many U.S. principals leave their positions by the end of their 2nd year, and this number is disproportionately higher for low-income school districts. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate middle and high school principals’ perceptions of factors influencing administrator turnover at Title I schools across a southeastern U.S. state. Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation grounded this study. The research questions were focused on principals’ perceptions of motivation and hygiene factors. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively …

Early Childhood Teachers’ Perspectives On Referring Black Students For Disciplinary Action, Adriuna Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Schools have reported disparities in the use of discipline on a nationwide scale. The problem for this study was that early childhood teachers referred Black students for disciplinary action or exclusionary discipline at higher rates than their peers.The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore early childhood teachers’ perspectives of referring Black students for disciplinary action. Weinstein, Curran, and Tomlinson-Clarke’s model of culturally responsive classroom management formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research question focused on teacher perspectives about referring Black students for disciplinary action. A basic qualitative design was used to capture the insights …

Kindergarten Through Second Grade Teachers’ Collaboration On Reading Instruction Through Virtual Communities Of Practice, Nakaydria Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Kindergarten through second grade (K–2) teachers have different experiences with support when teaching beginning reading. However, there is a problem with K–2 teachers having access to virtual collaboration to support beginning reading instruction. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of K–2 teachers collaborating virtually on Google Platforms to support beginning reading instruction within a community of practice (CoP). The research questions were used to understand the interaction and accountability of K–2 teachers collaborating within a CoP. The conceptual framework was constructed from elements of CoPs and the social theory of learning because of …

Digital Citizenship And Adolescents Online Risk Behaviors, Soushira Liverpool-Morrisa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescents now have greater access to digital resources and spaces and are more likely to engage in risky online behaviors for which they are unprepared. The study's purpose was to examine the little-understood online behaviors of adolescents to better educate and prepare them for safe online interactions. The study was framed by two theories: digital citizenship— the ability to engage in digital environments competently and responsibly, and problem behavior theory—an understanding of what encourages problem behavior. This research asked if there was a relationship between adolescents’ digital citizenship and online risk behaviors using a quantitative correlational design. Teachers from three …

English Language Arts Teachers’ Motivations And Experiences Related To Incorporating Digital Texts In Grades 6-12, Leah M. Marsh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Selecting text mediums that best support their curriculum needs is a critical task for English Language Arts (ELA) teachers, who also need to choose materials aligned with state standards and district requirements. Because 21st-century learning standards require students to have more technology skills, teachers are increasingly offering digital texts in classrooms. The problem under investigation in this study was the gap in understanding of the curricular choices U.S. teachers make when incorporating digital texts in ELA classrooms for Grades 6-12 to increase literacy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine ELA teachers’ motivation and experiences related to the …

Exploring Relationships Between Psychological Capital And Perceived Stress Among Newly Graduated Nurses, Rita June Jarvis-Isaac

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stress among the newly graduated nurses has been linked to physical and emotional distress, high turnover rates, and the quality of patient care. Psychological capital is a positive state of mind that consists of four components (hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism). Higher levels of psychological capital have been linked to improvements in the work environment and the psychological and emotional state of nurses. Despite the extensive work of researchers exploring psychological capital among nurses, its relationship to stress among new graduate nurses has not been well studied. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationship between …

Teacher Perceptions About Using Collaborative Inquiry In Professional Learning Communities, Linda Maria Armwood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A large suburban school system in the mid-Atlantic United States identified the Data Wise Improvement Process (DWIP) as a systemic strategy to achieve the district-wide goal of student achievement for college and career readiness. Elementary science teachers marginally participated in school-based instructional team meetings to analyze student data. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand teacher perceptions of working with colleagues in a collaborative learning environment focused on shared student data. Adult learning theory, social constructivist theory, and collaborative inquiry practices served as the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through an electronic web-based survey …

Public-School Superintendents’ Perceptions Of Trauma-Informed School Assumptions And Principles, Denise Gay Presnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that trauma-informed practices in schools can increase student performance and well-being. School social workers are well-suited to bring these practices to their system but are most successful when partnering with public-school superintendents. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand public-school superintendents’ perceptions of trauma-informed school assumptions and principles. The study was guided by four assumptions for trauma-informed care, six principles for trauma-informed schools, ecological systems theory, and empowerment theory. Research questions were designed to ask participants about their experiences of trauma in their schools, their perceptions of the assumptions and principles, the benefits and challenges …

University Interdisciplinary Linked Block Schedules And Developmental Student Success, Linda S. Reeves-Wymer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Developmental education is the starting point for many 1st-year college students, especially from underrepresented, low-income, and first-generation populations. One such 1st-year program linked block-scheduled academic skill-development courses with a required interdisciplinary general education science course where instruction was provided simultaneously in a lecture format to college-ready nondevelopmental students and developmental students in three skill-development courses: reading, writing, and combined reading/writing. Although this program had existed for over 20 years, the effectiveness of the program, meaning whether the linked skill-development courses were associated with academic success, had not been assessed. Guided by Tinto’s integration theory, a causal comparative design with the …

Fourth Grade Teacher Perspectives Of Instructional Practices To Support Students With Reading Deficits, Juanita Carter Robbins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was the focus of this study was that only 30% of fourth grade students in the United States read at or above grade-level proficiency. Lack of reading proficiency affects fourth-grade students’ ability to master content presented in subjects across the curriculum and may limit their educational attainment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore fourth-grade teachers’ perspectives of instructional practices to support students with reading deficits, the challenges teachers encounter, and the resources teachers need to meet those challenges. The conceptual framework comprised Tomlinson’s model of differentiated instruction. Three research questions explored the instructional …

Leadership Strategies That Support The Reduction Of Student Discipline Problems, Aaron J. Rose, Sr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe problem addressed in this study is that, in a rural Title I public school in the Northeastern United States, administrators have struggled to implement leadership strategies to support the reduction of student discipline issues in the classroom. The purpose of the study was to investigate how administrators implement leadership strategies that are intended to reduce student discipline issues in the classroom. The conceptual framework was developed from DeMatthews’s leadership theory and Wachtel’s restorative justice theory, which describe systems intended to build and restore relationships in schools and thereby reduce conflicts. The research question explored how administrators implement leadership strategies …

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching focuses on increasing the effectiveness of instructional practices. However, little is known concerning the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the role of instructional coaching related to student performance. This basic qualitative study was conducted to analyze the perceptions of administrators and teachers within one region in Texas. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants—eight administrators and eight teachers—using a researcher-designed questionnaire regarding the effectiveness of instructional coaching in addressing achievement gaps among African American, Hispanic, and European American students. Fullan’s coherence framework provided the basis for data analysis. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed and four …

Perspectives On Motor Skills Necessary For Kindergarteners’ Formal School Readiness, Allyson M. Schildt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have noted that before children can learn academics, they must first have developed motor skills. Motor skills are foundational to learning and integrated into other domains of learning as a child develops. The problem addressed through this basic qualitative study is that some kindergarten students in the northeastern United States lack motor skills necessary for formal school readiness, and kindergarten teachers are challenged to support students’ development of motor skills necessary for formal school readiness. The purpose of this study was to explore kindergarten teacher perspectives on kindergarten students’ motor skills necessary for formal school readiness. Thelen’s dynamic systems …

How Elementary Teachers Implement The Eureka Mathematics Curriculum To Improve Mathematics Outcomes, Shannell A. Swan-Clarke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many states use research-based mathematics curricula as an instructional tool to improve mathematics performance outcomes on state assessment scores. The problem was that despite the implementation of a research-based curriculum, students at XYZ Elementary School (pseudonym) had underperformed on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers standardized mathematics tests since 2018. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to discover the implementation practices of teachers using the Eureka Mathematics Curriculum to improve student outcomes at XYZ Elementary School. Dewey’s experiential learning theory was used to support and explore ideas involving the influences of curriculum implementation on …

Reading Teachers’ Perspectives On Professional Development In Phonological Methods And Implementation Of Instructional Strategies, Lisa M. Toole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this research study was although kindergarten through Grade 3 (K–3) reading teachers have received specific professional development in phonological methods, a gap in practice exists with the implementation of instructional strategies. The purpose of this study was to explore K–3 reading teachers' perspectives regarding their professional development in phonological methods and what further professional development is needed for consistent and effective implementation of instructional strategies to support student achievement in phonemic awareness and phonics. Flavell's theory of thinking about thinking, otherwise known as metacognition, was the grounding conceptual framework. The research questions guided the study by …

Faculty Perceptions Of Student Retention Strategies At A Career-Based University, Sheila Annette Williamson-Branch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2008, a career-focused university implemented a set of faculty-led retention strategies to address a steady decline in retention. Yet, despite the implementation of this program, retention continued to decline. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of full-time faculty and part-time faculty regarding what aspects of the existing student retention program were falling short in the university’s efforts to identify strategies to improve student retention. The conceptual framework used for this study was Tinto’s student retention theory promoting momentum to support the examination of the perceptions of faculty to improve student retention. The research questions examined …

Preschool Teachers’ And Parents’ Perspectives Regarding Factors That Affect Kindergarten Readiness, Ebony Catrice Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When children enter kindergarten, they are expected to demonstrate an interrelated set of skills and competencies including pre-academic skills, cognitive abilities, socioemotional well-being, and physical health. The problem that was the focus of this study was that many students who complete prekindergarten are not ready for kindergarten. Guided by Garcia’s kindergarten readiness framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to increase understanding of the perspectives of parents and prekindergarten teachers regarding their role in developing kindergarten readiness, and the factors they believe support or hinder their efforts. Eight prekindergarten teachers and 8 parents of prekindergarten students from one …

Differences In High School Student Athlete Perceptions Of Coach Leadership Behaviors, Clarissa Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The dynamics between athletic coaches and their players have been widely studied with leadership as the focus. The problem was that there is limited literature on the differences in perceptions of high school student athletes regarding their coach’s leadership behaviors. The purpose of this group comparison study was to examine the differences in student athletes’ perceptions of their coach’s leadership behavior as measured by the Revised Leadership Scale for Sports scores between freshman, junior varsity, and varsity high school student athletes. Chelladurai’s multidimensional model of leadership was the theoretical foundation for this study. The invitation to the study with a …

Elementary School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Digital Technology Integration Into Instructional Curriculum, Shamma Almaazmi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Digital technology is used in elementary classrooms; however, there is a gap in practice regarding elementary school teachers’ perceptions of integration of digital technology into the instructional curriculum in the study district. The problem that was addressed through this study was elementary school teachers are reporting challenges with the integration of technology into the instructional curriculum. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary school teachers’ perceptions regarding the integration of digital technology into the instructional curriculum. The analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE model) and Hallinger and Murphy’s instructional leadership model, involving evaluation, supervision, and …

Instructional Practices Teachers Use To Improve Elementary School Students’ Mathematics Achievement, Kwanza Lee Atkinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2016, third to fifth-grade students at a Title I elementary school have not met adequate yearly progress because 70% of students have not scored proficient on the end-of-grade mathematics assessment. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the instructional approaches that elementary school teachers use to teach mathematics to students at the Title I school and to investigate which instructional strategies teachers believed to be the most effective in improving mathematics test scores. This study was grounded in social constructivism, based on the impression that the individual creates knowledge based on mental ability. Data for this …

Perceptions Of Leadership Effectiveness: An Exploratory Case Study Of Three Cameroonian School Principals, Prudence Avwontom Kono

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the school principal selection process in Cameroon where the political appointment of school principals with no plan for formal training was practiced. The purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to explore and describe school principal perceptions of leader behaviors in urban Cameroon schools. Goldring’s learner-centered leadership approach was the conceptual framework that guided this study. Research questions were focused on school principals’ perceptions of behaviors, standards, and cultures that they believed are critical to effective leadership in urban Cameroon schools. A multiple case study design was used to capture insights and perceptions of three purposely …